Consensus statements: when and how?

The Bone & Joint Journal has published several consensus statements in recent years, many of which have positively influenced clinical practice and policy.1-o13 However, even the most valued consensus statements have limitations, and all ultimately represent Level V evidence. Consensus studies add greatest value where higher-oorder evidence to aid decision making is ambiguous or lacking. In all settings, care must be taken to critically appraise standards of methodology, with particular attention to potential biases that may influence the conclusions which are drawn.